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After enduring a poor run of form which saw them winless in five matches across all competitions, Real Madrid finally got back to winning ways courtesy a hard fought 2-1 victory over the Czech champions at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Goals from Benzema and Marcelo were enough to see off the threat from Plzen, and even though it was not the prettiest of victories, Julen Lopetegui would take it, as it eases some pressure off him, and would act as a morale booster heading into the decisive El Clasico clash with Barcelona.
The win took Los Blancos to six points, and they sit top of Group G on goal difference and are in prime position to make it to the round of 16 for the 22nd consecutive season.
The usual problems continued, as Real struggled to break down their less fancied visitors, and they would need to show some marked improvement if they are to come out of their clash with Barcelona with anything. Here are five talking points from their victory over Viktoria Plzen.
#5 Defensive issues still persist
It has long been established that Real Madrid has a very shaky defence, lacking the solidity at the back to shut out opponents.
Their open - counter-attacking style of play always means that they would be exposed at the back, and Real has gotten along all these while winning titles despite their porous defence thanks to their superior attack.
However, Ronaldo's departure has taken a huge chunk of goals out of the club, and with a paucity of goals, Real's defensive frailties have been brought into the limelight more than they would have liked.
Against Viktoria Plzen, the Los Blancos' backline was constantly exposed time and again, as Ramos and Varane struggled to gain a foothold or show command in marshalling Real Madrid's defence.
It was a thing of great shame to see the starting FIFPro centre-backs caught out of position continually by opposing strikers on a much significantly lower level than them.
Viktoria Plzen created enough chances to have gotten something from the game, and Real's saving grace was that their visitors were lethargic in front of goal and lacked the composure to make the right decisions in the final third.
The ease with which Viktoria Plzen tore apart the Real defence must have gotten Europe's bigger clubs licking their lips, knowing that the European champions are there for the taking.
Much of Real's success over the last few years has been fundamentally built on an efficient attack, without much thought for defensive solidity, making a mockery of the maxim that strong defences win titles, but with Real's attackers struggling in front of goal, they might begin to pay the price for their defensive frailty.
#4 Marcelo's injury comes at an inopportune time
Marcelo signed for Real Madrid from Fluminense in Brazil in 2007, and since then has integrated himself fully into the squad, becoming an integral part of the starting lineup and establishing himself as the premier left-back in the world.
He is central to Real Madrid's play, as he provides width on the pitch, while the club and in particular Ronaldo benefitted from his pinpoint deliveries from wide positions.
Marcelo pulled up injured in a La Liga clash with Sevilla, and his importance was reemphasized, as in his absence, Real Madrid struggled mightily, failing to win their next three matches, and more shockingly, going on their worst goalless run since 1985.
It was no coincidence that the club's first goal in 465 minutes (almost eight hours ) of football was scored when Marcelo returned to the starting lineup, with the goal itself being scored by the Brazilian international in the 2-1 loss to Levante.
He was once more instrumental against Viktoria Plzen, terrorizing their defence with his crosses, before scoring the vital second goal which made Real Madrid more comfortable.
He pulled what seemed to be his calf muscle in the dying stages of the game, and while no official word has been given yet, the 30-year-old was forced off the pitch and could be seen with ice packs on the affected leg.
With a host of first-team players underperforming, Marcelo is the one bright light in a squad of stuttering players, and Lopetegui would have been counting on him to lead the team back into form, but his injury might make issues a bit more complicated for the club.
#3 Gareth Bale is incapable of carrying the team
Once the most expensive player in the world following his record-breaking transfer from Tottenham in 2013, Gareth Bale found it hard to justify his price tag at Real, as he found playing time difficult to come by.
The 29-year-old was absolutely phenomenal for Tottenham, and it was on the back of his PFA Player of the Year performances that Real shelled out such a huge outlay to get him, so the world was well aware of his abilities prior to the transfer.
However, the presence of Ronaldo in the same dressing room with him always meant that the Welshman would have to play second fiddle, and despite showing flashes of his brilliance over the years, it was believed that he had not done enough to play his way into the hearts of a notoriously difficult to please Bernabeu crowd, as injuries and a loss of form reduced Bale's effectiveness.
It was said that Real hadn't seen the best of Bale, as the team had not been built around him in the way that it was at Tottenham, but the presence of Ronaldo meant this was practically impossible, as there can only be one Captain on a Ship.
After scoring a world-class goal in the final of the 2018 Champions League final triumph over Liverpool, Bale expressed his displeasure at his lack of playing opportunities at the club, with strong speculation linking him with a move away from the club.
As it happened, that did not materialize, and it was Ronaldo who departed instead, and the stage was now set for Bale to take over the mantle and make this his team, with the man himself suggesting as much with his comments to the media.
However, four months on from Ronaldo's departure, and Bale is still struggling to become the talisman of this team, much less stepping into the gargantuan boots left by Ronaldo.
His injury niggles have resurfaced, while he has struggled to influence games in the manner that the now departed Portuguese did, as it is hard to imagine Real Madrid besieged in this manner if Ronaldo was present.
For so long Gareth Bale had sought to be the main man of the team, and with his opportunity here, he has failed to grab it, and this is a real disappointment from a player from whom much more was expected.
#2 It is impossible to replace Ronaldo
Ronaldo's numbers are well documented at Real Madrid. The club's all-time record goalscorer, as well as in La Liga and the Champions League.
He banged in goals for fun, and incredibly scored 40+ goals in each of the last eight seasons, so it came as a huge disappointment to many Real Madrid fans when it emerged that their idol was departing their club.
Replacing such a figure was always going to be difficult if not downright impossible, as in just nine years, the Portugal record goalscorer set a shadow so large over the Bernabeu that getting out of it was going to be difficult.
The remaining players came out in unison to state that the club would cope well in his absence, and that Real would be better off with his departure, as more emphasis would be placed on team work rather than individuality.
All those have proven to be is merely grandstanding, however, as, without the talismanic presence of Ronaldo, Real Madrid have been shown to be ineffective, and exposed with their soft underbelly.
It is hard to imagine the club going on such a long goalless run with Ronaldo in the fold, while the attack's performance in the game against Viktoria Plzen only further highlighted his impact.
Real Madrid struggled to break down the much inferior opposition, meanwhile, it is in matches like this that Ronaldo boosts his records (not in any way suggesting he is not one of the biggest big game players in history), with clubs like Plzen acting as cannon fodder to feed his immense goal hunger.
It's been four months since Ronaldo departed Real Madrid, but their struggles are making it seem like it has been aeons ago.
#1 Real Marid needs to replace Benzema if the club is to remain competitive
Another player to have been overshadowed by Ronaldo - Karim Benzema has been the main centre-forward for Real Madrid for the best part of a decade, but you would be hard pressed to know, as Ronaldo constantly outscored him, occupying central roles while Benzema drifted out wide.
The 31-year-old has faced growing criticism in recent years, no thanks to his profligacy in front of goal and more shockingly - his poor returns of goals. The Frenchman scored a paltry 12 goals in 48 matches last season.
It was believed that Benzema's excesses were indulged thanks to his close acquaintances with Zidane and Ronaldo, as the 31-year-old had long since shown that he was no longer on an elite level befitting the striker of a club like Real Madrid.
After Ronaldo and Zidane's departures, many felt that Benzema would finally be offloaded, and indeed, speculation linked Madrid with a host of big-name strikers such as Kane and Icardi, but they all ultimately came to nothing.
Benzema was given the nod to start the season, and despite starting the season like a house on fire by scoring five goals in his opening four matches, he fell back into bad habits, going scoreless for his next seven until he broke his drought against Plzen.
Despite the goal, his decision making was poor on the night, failing to anticipate passes by teammates, and electing to be selfish when his colleagues were in better positions.
Real Madrid is a massive club who expect to win all trophies available to them, but it is a well-known fact that goals win games, and with a striker like Benzema leading the line, Real Madrid can as well kiss all their hopes of titles goodbye unless they do the needful and seek a replacement for Benzema in January.
